I had a new massage client today. I love new clients because they stretch me, ask me to open up and do a little extra thinking to begin forming the therapeutic relationship that I love to create. Today was interesting. And it reminded me that we all have a different jumping off point. This person was not in their body. The lines of communication between the body and the mind were closed. This made me realize that there are many different ways people relate to and with their bodies.

Our bodies are truly amazing. WE are amazing. At any given second, there are millions of cells communicating; temperature, light changes, visual input, and pain sensations to name a few. We are well constructed machines with light speed efficiency. Pain is a great communicator and one of the most effective ways our body speaks to us. It is our body’s way of telling us there is something wrong; an imbalance in the body. And if we listen to it early on, we can usually get back to homeostasis fairly quickly. However, many people stuff the pain, deal with the pain, live with the pain, and end up seeing the body as a threat; something to fight, to battle, to overcome. Therein lies the disconnect. There is no harmony. There is no “one”. There is me against “that” and war is not a peaceful, harmonious act. It divides and there is the drive to conquer. Are you starting to see how destructive that is? We are out to get ourselves! But there is a way out. Or should I say, back, to our bodies. We ARE our bodies.

This year, resolve to live in your body, not with it. There are so many activities you can do to get back into your body and start listening to what it has to say. First, get moving. Start walking, hiking, running; begin a yoga practice; take dance lessons; join a Tai Chi class. Do something to make your feet strike the ground! Second, receive regular bodywork. Not only will this make you aware of your body and what it is trying to tell you, but it will also ease the aches and pains it has been using to get your attention. Massage as well as other alternative modalities, such as acupuncture and chiropractic, address the body as a whole, reminding us that we are interconnected within ourselves. Acting on the pain early on will help you resolve it sooner and keep the “snowball effect” from occurring. I hope you are able to create a new relationship with your body this year!